Holtzberg couple. Light for the future
Photo: Reuters
Chabad has decided to open a new center in Varanasi, India, just three weeks after the funerals of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka, brought thousands to the cemetery to pay their final respects to the couple who ran the Mumbai center targeted by terrorists in the devastating attack last month.
"After such an event takes place, a man's instinct is to be afraid. A Chabadnik's response is to become stronger," said Rabbi Shmuel Yizhar, who is scheduled to arrive in Varanasi next week.
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Yizhar told Ynet he was not afraid to travel to Mumbai. He said the decision to open a Varanasi Chabad house was made before the attack took place, but that the incident had spurred members to act upon it.
"We were motivated to speed things up. In the secular circles people responded with awe and asked, 'Are you really planning to go there? It's dangerous,' but in the closer circles, thank God, there is no fear. A lot of new donors – financial and spiritual – have arrived, and we won't have trouble finding emissaries," the rabbi said.
Ran Shamir, who runs the Chabad center in Vattakanal, has also reported a rise in motivation. "There has been an awakening in the movement. A lot of new calls, extra manpower, and donations have been coming in. There is no other choice. Why shouldn't Jews in India have a Shabbat? Or kosher food? Will they go only to monasteries and cults? This is a mission and it cannot be given up," he said.
The Vattakanal center will receive a boost over the next two weeks as part of Chabad's initiative, and a married couple and two youths are preparing to go over as emissaries. "They asked to come here after the incident," Shamir said. "They have no sense of fear, only courage and motivation."
The Chabad house located in the Andaman Islands is also preparing to receive new envoys – the Koby family – who plan to reinforce the movement's presence in the Indian Ocean.
"After studying the principles of our master and teacher nothing frightens me," said Yitzhak Koby before he left for the islands with his wife and daughter. "The recent incidents only demonstrate how much the Chabad houses are necessary. For this, a Jew is ready to give up even his life."